The Pirates varsity baseball team had a busy week, winning two games and losing one in three nearly back-to-back matches.
The Pirates lost to Eatonville 5 to 3 on March 22. Matt Amick threw the first four innings, and Julian Smith finished the last two on the mound.
Eatonville played small ball, scratching out five runs on just three hits, aided by two key Pirate mental mistakes. That, combined with the unusually quiet Pirate bats, led to Vashon’s second loss of the 2010 campaign.
Hitting highlights included Matt Amick, two for four, and Julian Smith, two for four with two RBIs. The line score: Vashon three runs, five hits, three errors and Eatonville five runs, three hits, three errors.
“Batters need to have a game plan, every game. They need to have focus,” said coach Steve Hall.
Two days later the Pirates defeated Orting 13 to 7 on the Pirates’ home field. Tyler Bernheisel pitched six strong innings and was supported by the solid outfield play of Phillip Moyer and Zach Drape, who made a spectacular over-the-head catch with the bases loaded to snuff out an Orting rally. Wes Paulsen closed out the game in the seventh.
Highlights included a two-run home run by Julian Smith and a three-for-four night by both Wes Paulsen and Peter Johnson. Matt Dick executed a perfect slash bunt for a timely two RBI single, while Matt Amick tallied a single, double and two RBIs.
Joe Gilmour added an RBI double, and Drape notched his first varsity hit. Coach Hall was a happy man after the game.
“Every call I made worked and was executed perfectly,” he said. “Tyler did a great job keeping them off balance.”
On March 26, the team ran their record to 5 to 2 with a 17-to-0 shutout of Life Christian. Pirate hitters continued their hot bats, scoring five runs in the first inning, which included a key two-RBI single delivered by Phillip Moyer.
Julian Smith pitched five shut-out innings and held the Eagles to just three hits. Smith was aided by a strong Pirate defense, including a momentum stopping running catch by right fielder Moyer to end the first. The game ended in the fifth on the 10-run rule.
Hitting highlights: Peter Johnson, three for four, Fletcher Garrison had a line drive two RBI single, and Ryan Johnson delivered a two RBI double.
JV baseball wins twice
On March 22, the Pirates JV defeated Eatonville 16 to 8. The game was back and forth until the bottom of the sixth, when eight of nine Pirate batters scored.
Hitting stars included Fletcher Garrison, three for four with three doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored; Erik Powelson, three for five with a double, one RBI and three runs scored; Joe Wald, three for five with three RBIs and one run scored, and Ben Reoux two for four with two runs scored.
Pitching stats: Dustin Corthell, four innings pitched with 66 pitches, six strikeouts and three hits allowed; Erik Powelson three innings pitched with 46 pitches, five strikeouts and one hit.
The team traveled to Orting on March 24 and came away with an 11 to 8 victory.
“With only nine players eligible, I had to do a little lineup magic,” said Coach Joe Wald, “and the team performed well with only two errors.”
Vashon batted around in the second, scoring five runs on five walks and three hits. The Pirates got three more in the top of the third on awesome base running by Ben Reoux, Jordan Lopez and Cody Jackson.
Pitching stats: Reoux (two innings), Joe Wald (two and one-third innings) and Sullivan (two and two-third innings) combined to pitch a great game. Offensive stars included Cody Jackson with three walks, three runs scored and one stolen base; Fletcher Garrison three to five with two runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base; Jordan Lopez with two walks and three stolen bases; Geoffrey Kraabel, 1-2 with three walks and two runs scored; Joe Wald 1-4 with two RBIs and one walk and Ben Reoux 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Erik Powelson caught for the first time in more than four years and did an excellent job.
— Rita Allman does Web and team support for the Pirates.
